Previews

City of Heroes Beta Update

Less than a week remains until City of Heroes, the massively multiplayer superhero role-playing game from NCSoft, hits shelves and officially goes live. Meanwhile, the beta test -- crowded by heroes who pre-ordered the game -- is wrapping up.

You've read about the exploits of our own ragtag heroes (part 1, part 2, part 3, and the bonus issue) over the last month, but how does the beta look now that the game is nearly here? We put together a gallery of some of the deeper, more dangerous parts of the city. Here, villainy reigns ... at least until we showed them the face-slamming end of our steel-toed boots of justice.

The latest round of patches added some new elements to the game. Most parts of the city now have working stores where you can buy enhancements to your power-ups. The "Supergroup" system, while still a little rough around the edges, is working much better. With a single click of a button, you and your teammates can synchronize your uniforms before laying down some smaq for freedom. Check it:

The artwork in the game is fantastic, allowing heroes to visit not just bustling metropolises, but also bombed-out ruins, reeking sewers, rubble-strewn war zones, and gleaming technological labs. See the complete gallery!